Army of Two Review (PS3)

Yes both games feature large men carrying guns in third person perspective, but this is not a Gears of War knock off. Army of Two is a surprisingly engaging fun new series from EA where you get to play soldier of fortune (Blackwater anyone?) with a buddy (or alone, but play with a pal, it's more fun) in a very violent contemporary world. Yes, it has some tech issues. Yes, it is very "jock-ish" in it's dialog and humor, but with solid combat, an extensive equipment section, and creative co-op gameplay Army of Two is what Kane and Lynch wanted to be, fun.Army of Two looked great at E3, almost two years ago, then it got "stuck" in development. When it came out the gaming community was skeptical, as negative rumors abounded. In the end, Army of Two ended up being a solid game and should be on the shortlist of folks who like military shooters or co-op games.

The story of Army of Two will really strike a chord with those who follow the happenings in Iraq. Essentially you work for a private military contractor doing the jobs the U.S. military won't or can't. The culture is boyish and greedy, and while some critics complained about this, to me it seems to be spot on with the stories we've heard of the real soldiers of fortune in Blackwater. Army of Two has fun with it, but don't for a minute think that the real men being paid massive amounts of money to shoot big guns are somber about their duties.

The gameplay revolves around a two person squad. As a single player you can give simple commands to your partner. But the magic really happens in co-op. The ability to draw enemies (known as aggro) to one player while the other strafes is not only innovative, but one of those, "every game should do this" concepts. Aggro/threat aren't the only MMO aspects imported to this game. Players earn money accomplishing objectives which they can spend in an expansive gear & guns store. I am more than willing to admit that I too got sucked into the gun shopping experience.

Army of Two is not all guns and roses, however. From enemies standing in the corner to my partner getting stuck on a ledge, AI issues seem to pop up more than they should. There also seem to be tech issues. I had the game freeze my PS3 and have some odd draw issues where the screen looked split in two in the single player game.

Complaints aside, this is a fun game with lots of new, clever elements. Army of Two 2 will hopefully fix the AI/tech issues.

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